Don’t make a costly mistake by forgetting about these important summer To Do’s!

That means it’s time to share our top home maintenance tips for homeowners to tackle this season. Here in Winter Garden and throughout Central Florida, we largely spend our summers indoors to beat the heat. That makes it even more important to complete this summer checklist! If these home maintenance tasks go overlooked, it can lead to serious problems down the road. Our team is here to help make sure that doesn’t happen.

Because we specialize in Winter Garden real estate and the surrounding areas, our tips have a special focus towards preparing your Florida home for the summer. But these maintenance tips will be helpful to everyone who owns a house. Read on so you can start checking off the To-Dos on your summer checklist!

#1 – Clean out your air ducts. Servicing your HVAC or home air-conditioning system should be near the top of every Floridian’s summer home maintenance tips checklist. Trust us…you do NOT want to spend a single summer day without A/C here in Central Florida! As part of your system’s service, it is a good idea to get your air ducts cleaned once a year. This will improve your A/C’s efficiency as well as your home’s air quality, helping diminish the effects of the allergens caused by plants and flowers that bloom this time of year. Oh, and don’t forget to change your air filter!

#2 – Check your window and door seals. Another important home maintenance tip is to check the seals of all exterior windows and doors. Re-caulk or reseal any problem areas to avoid losing that precious cool air and overtaxing your air-conditioner. This will also help keep out household pests who like to find ways to sneak in to escape the heat!

#3 – Prep your pool. We Floridians LOVE spending time at the pool, especially during the summer. If you’re a Florida homeowner who has a pool, one of your top priorities this season should be getting your pool ready for use. Give it a thorough cleaning, treat it with the proper chemicals have the water tested, and check the filtration system. You should also inspect the pool deck for loose boards or pavers that need repairing and pressure wash away any mold or mildew that could lead to slippery surfaces.

#4 – Clean your gutters and downspouts. Central Florida gets near-daily rain showers during the summer, which means it’s time to clean out those gutters and downspouts! Backup in gutters caused by debris can lead to costly water damage, plus it creates an environment that appeals to critters and pests. While you’re at it, check your gutters for holes, rust, or anything else that might reduce their efficiency.

#5 – Repair or replace torn or broken screens. We might not spend a lot of time outside during the summer here in Winter Garden and Central Florida, but when we do, we want to be surrounded by screens that keep the mosquitoes and other insects away. Pool owners also love that their screened porches keep the debris out of the water! Now is the time to check for any holes or tears in your window, door, and porch screens so you can get them patched or replaced.

#6 – Get a roof inspection. Those daily rain showers we mentioned bring to mind another of our top home maintenance tips. Heavy rains can produce serious gusts of wind, especially if they’re part of a tropical storm or hurricane, which can lead to loose shingles or roof damage caused by flying debris. Now is the time to inspect your roof so you’re not surprised by any leaks in the wet summer months to come.

#7 – Prep your home for hurricanes or summer storms. This is another home maintenance tip that’s especially important for our homeowners here in Winter Garden and throughout the state of Florida. While most people think of hurricane preparedness as stocking up on batteries, fresh water, first aid items, and non-perishable food items, there’s more to it than that. Here are some other important tasks you should have on your summer checklist specific to your home itself:

• Trim trees and shrubbery within ten feet of your house.
• Clear out a safe space in your home to “hunker down” if needed.
• Check the locks on your doors and windows and consider upgrading to heavy duty locks if you don’t have them to help withstand hurricane-force winds.
• Place valuables in water-safe bags and/or containers.
• Store your hurricane preparedness items somewhere easily accessible in the event of a power failure.

Also, some preparedness-related investments you might want to make as a Florida home buyer or owner might include an all-home surge protector, a generator, a sump pump, reinforced doors for your home and garage, and impact-resistant shutters for your windows.

#8 – Clean your grill and refill your propane tank. Summer is the prime season for barbecues and cookouts, so it’s time to make sure your grill is ready to go! Here in Central Florida, a prepped grill is even more practical since it will allow you to cook food even during a power outage. Be sure your propane tank is full, and consider keeping a spare on reserve.

#9 – Check your sprinklers. If you’re a homeowner with an irrigation system, summer is the most important season to be sure your system is operating as it should. Take it from a Florida real estate professional: even frequent rain showers can’t save a lawn from the summer heat for long here in The Sunshine State! Test your system and replace any broken sprinkler heads, and make sure your grass is trimmed around each sprinkler head to allow for optimum watering coverage. Also, check your system’s timer since any power outages can throw it off. You’ll want to be sure you’re sticking to your area’s watering restrictions.

#10 – Inspect and clean the dryer vent. We talked about getting your HVAC or air-conditioning system serviced, which is a critical home maintenance tip for Florida homeowners. Tied closely to this is having your dryer vent inspected and cleaned. This is a summer checklist item that often goes overlooked, which could prove costly! According to a report issued by the National Fire Protection Association in March of 2017, nearly 16,000 home fires involve clothes dryers or washing machines each year, leading to $238 million in property damage. Help avoid this kind of problem by keeping those dryer vents clean.

#11 – Mulch your flower beds. As Winter Garden Realtors, we often talk about the importance of curb appeal. But mulching your flower beds serves an even more practical purpose! Mulch keeps weeds under control and traps water from rain and sprinklers so your bushes and flowers have the moisture they need to beat the heat.

#12 – Power wash your sidewalks, driveways, and decking. Another home maintenance tip that provides excellent curb appeal for home sellers is power washing your home’s exterior, as well as sidewalks, driveways, and decking. This is also a great summer checklist item for homeowners, in general. We love getting together with friends and family while school is out, so why not make our homes as inviting as possible?

Whether you’re preparing your home to put on the market or you’re settling in to enjoy the season, these home maintenance tips will make sure you have the best summer experience possible. Would you like to speak with a member of our dynamic team of Winter Garden Realtors about selling or buying your own Central Florida dream home? Contact the Erica Diaz Team today! We would love to help you with any of your real estate needs!